Fat Rat da Czar-Tryin To Make It [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [NEW MUSIC VIDEO]

New Fat Rat!!!!! Check that out mane!!!!

-L'Daialogue

Willie B (of Digi-Phonics) -Ichiban Sound In 3D [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [NEW MUSIC] [INSTRUMENTAL LP]

Welcome to another cold project being featured on ThaOvaground.com.

Check up top. Now, this is the homey Willie B of Top Dawg Entertainment. You know the producer of Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q & Ab-Soul...Mr. Ignorance Is Bliss. That Rigamortis track that Busta Rhymes hopped on and SLAUGHTERED. You know...the little stuff.

Well, he has a new instrumental cd out titled "Ichiban Sound in 3D" and it is bangin HARD.

What you need to do is go to his site www.ichibandon.com and cop the new beatery mane. Its only $9.00 dollars mane.

The link is right there. Go support and bang out mane!!!

-L'Daialogue

8Ball and MJG feat. Big K.R.I.T- We Buy Gold (Produced by Big K.R.I.T) [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [NEW MUSIC]

Mannnnnn,

First off, this is great just because Ball & G is coming with that Space Age Pimpin' that they are known for mane. I STILL feel like they havent gotten that same respect as their other OG duo counterparts in the South i.e Outkast & UGK but along with Big K.R.I.T who produced this track, "We Buy Gold"...you can REALLY vibe back and peep how it is in alot of places in the South. Vividly.

I know for a fact, somebody HAD to spit about the upsurge of We Buy Gold stores in the inner-cities in these last few years. But enough with that yin-yang mane....get to the music. Download link is below.

-L'Daialogue

DOWNLOAD LINK: http://hulkshare.com/ylmpoq7wcd37

Cyclops-Rap Scott Summers [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [NEW MUSIC]

Yo, yoooooo

Straight outta New Jersey I would like to present the emcee known as Cyclops: The Rap Scott Summers.

Me and the homey have collab'd on a few different projects and his new mixtape is no different. Hosted and mixed by DJ Jay Skillz hailing from New Orleans, LA sooooo you know that it's official.

The boom-bap/soulful sounds are fully represented from the backing sounds of his producer Toyko Cigar. This is truly the way to leave 2011 and kick start 2012 proper like.

Check the tracklisting out below and you dont have to take my word for it (cue the cheesy Reading Rainbow sound).


-L'Daialogue

Fat Rat da Czar-Tryin To Make It [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [NEW MUSIC]

And we start the new year off with some real music coming straight out of South Carolina. This is some EXCLUSIVE Fat Rat da Czar off of his upcoming tape "Da Cold War 3" titled "Tryin To Make It"

Now, I know yall caught that All Around The World track from that project so you know the fire is STILL coming.

Mannnn, these songs are making me a little jealous. I need to hit the studio tonite.

But check the homey out mane! Yesssuuurrr!!!!

-L'Daialogue

Tryin' To Make It by fatratdaczar

My Ode 2 2011....Welcome to 2012

(above pic: A concept pic/cover from the Dollar$ & Daialogue EP w/ Slangston Hughes photo shoot )

I need some kudos 'round this piece mane. I mean, I need to be more cockier mane.

Really.

I have made it.

At least I feel I have. I have accomplished a few more goals that I have set and I am ready to move foward into 2012.

I just wanted to get out what I wanted in a musicial form & I did.

At the beginning of this year, Slangston Hughes and I finished recording what came to be the Dollar$ & Daialogue EP (the original EP & the 1.5 EP respectively) that ended up landing us a spot in New Orleans' Offbeat Magazine and nominated for a New Orleans Hip Hop Award in the Best EP category. We never knew all the accolades we would receive. We just spoke truthful realness reflecting the dual essence of Memphis, Tennessee & New Orleans, Louisiana...and the rest is history.

Also, I Built My Own Buzz 2 & 3 came out as I experimented with more sounds and collaborated with more producers and artists outside of MiZUnderstatistic (I still love ya mane). It's so many different records from Mark Of The Beast to In My Mode, I experimented from 8 bit samplism to Prospek's orchestral arrangements on Comment Sections. And shouts out to Midi Marc (Midi Marathon Marc nigga), J-Snizzy (my North Cak boom-bap killa), Rick Flare (Beat Arkitekz all day), Zach of 3M (my DC connect) and plenty more.

My radio/DJ's connections grew and I know that I am single-handedly witnessing a revolution in radio. From DJ Chuck Dizzle at his L.A.-based Homegrown Radio to my girl Skye who runs Skyyhook Radio, these inDAIpendents have this. Who you thank spinning my records??? Also, shouts out to the homey Moose Harris with his show URBAN FLOSARUS doing his thang in Shreveport, LA.

Also, DJ Dimepiece, DJ Kenny Kaign, DJ EF Cuttin, DJ Mike Swift and many more are supporting the Ovaground Undaground movement in a lot of different ways.

I feel like with the collaborations I have lined up plus the new 2Deep album & Babi Memphiz album I have on deck, 2012 (if it actually all ends then) will be just as major as they were in 2011.

The music WILL keep on moving mane. As Affillieated Vischunz/DRDP Productions keep creative & professional product coming to the people, you will never have to worry about where the game will be. You'll know....at least from us.

Also, shouts out to the homies (in no particular order): Muthafukkkkkkkin' High Ruler King Cane (The REAL 2Deep out chea...North Memphis forever), Mac Triggah (let's get it going again mane), Cyclops (yessur!), Top Billion, the beautiful Ms. Robin Barnes, the beautiful Ms. T. Hobbs, the beautiful Ms. Melody Jones, Suave (the N.O croona' mane), L-Boogie (let's go), Wille B (Willie B Face my nig!!!!), Fat Rat da Czar, Brad M Beatz, Fo On Tha' Flo (shouts out to the livest band ever mane), The Beat Arkitekz, the whole M-Town, West Coast, East Coast & Midwest. Worldwide daialogue mane! If I forgot anybody, blame my head and not my heart....I'm trying to beat the 12 o'clock deadline of New Year's.

So, toast to past year and let's get past here. December fallin' and January ballin. Let's go and be on the look out for the label and the blog.

*raises a glass*

Toast to success,

-L'Daialogue, MiZUnderstatistic & the WHOLE ThaOvaground.com staff!!!!

p.s. Watch how far I will be from the blog post this time next year!!! Watch me mane!!!!

L'Daialogue- I Built My Own Buzz 3 [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [NEW MUSIC]

L'Daialogue continues to build; the final project in the "buzz" series

MEMPHIS, TN- Memphis emcee L’Daialogue DiCaprio in conjunction with ThaOvaground.com & KevinNottingham.com is releasing his final project in his “Buzz” trilogy titled I Built My Own Buzz 3 which is a sequel to his critically-acclaimed project I Built My Own Buzz 2.

Still continuing with an inDAIpendent attitude & rising buzz, L’Daialogue is making legitimate moves from his previous projects and this one is no different. His firey, Southern-based lyricism is moving to a worldwide audience and his finale of this particular series is one to be welcomed. He proves even when you think you can’t promote yourself, you can promote yourself anywhere and be successful doing it.

The project has features from Hall Of Justus-affiliate Chaundon, Slangston Hughes, Cyclops, Babi Memphiz, High Ruler King Cane of 2Deep, T. Hobbs, ELESPEE, Lyrikill, Top Billion with production from MiZUnderstatistic, Olde Soul, Zach of 3M, Prospek, J-Snizzy & Rick Flare of the Beat Arkiteks.























Tracklisting

1. Midi Marc Buzz Intro 3
2. December Fallin, January Ballin
3. Let Them Gurls Ride
4. COINTELPRO & Amber Rose
5. Memphis Made Me Pt. 4
6. Intersect feat. Babi Memphiz
7. I Got Em Sick feat. High Ruler King Cane (2DEEP)
8. Prepare for Defeat feat. Slangston Hughes & Cyclops
9. I’m So Raw feat. Slangston Hughes & Top Billion
10. Divine Comedy feat. T. Hobbs
11. Comment Sections
12. The King Of Tha 2-Track
13. Profound Effects feat. Chaundon
14. Little Red Hen
15. Now Ya Feel Me Cirrius Remix
16. My Time Has Come feat. Lyrikill & ELESPEE
17. Mark Of The Beast
18. Distribution
19. TECHNO

All Tracks Produced, Mixed & Arranged by MiZUnderstatistic & L’Daialogue DiCaprio for Affillieated Vischunz/DRDP Productions/ Reba’s Furst Born (ASCAP) except:

Track 3- Produced by Rick Flare for Beat Arkitekz (ASCAP)
Tracks 11, 16- Produced by Prospek for Inner Recess Productions
Track 12- Produced by Zach for 3M Productions
Track 13- Produced by J-Snizzy for J-Snizzy Productions
Track 14- Produced by Olde Soul for Good Old Music (ASCAP)


DOWNLOAD LINK: http://www.mediafire.com/?hp9bx299091791x

Fat Rat Da Czar-All Around Da Town [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [MUSIC VIDEO]

Yo,


I'm loving this video. This is the new single from Fat Rat da Czar from his upcoming project "Da Cold War 3".

This is 106 & Park status in my opinion mane. Fat Rat has been putting it down for a while and I think 2012 is gone be the year mane.

Check out this video...and the credits are as follows:

On The Real Films presents in association with Streetside Records
FatRat Da Czar "All Around Da Town"
Produced by illNate
Directed by smd.
D.P. Matthew MacCarthy
From the forthcoming album "Da Cold War 3"


-L'Daialogue

Wiz Khalifa and Chevy Woods On Signing Juicy J [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE]

Get More: Music News

Now,

Seriously...I never question any move Three 6 Mafia has made as a collective (maybe outside of a few members that left or was expelled) but Juicy J signing to Taylor Gang was a BIG one that I never saw coming.

Wiz Khalifa & Chevy Woods speak to MTV about Juicemanne signing to Taylor Gang & Three 6 Mafia's consistency in the game.

Memphis stand up AGAIN!!!!


-MiZ

Don Trip Interview On FADER [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE]

From FADER.COM:


We cover a lot of rap at The FADER, and while we certainly have an ear for who is going to be the next big thing, there’s also a lot of dudes that we write about just because we really like them. Don Trip was never an artist that we expected to gain any sort of following, but it’s here now and we couldn’t be happier. He stopped by our offices to talk to us about the surprising success of “Letter To My Son” and what it means to be a successful rapper in Memphis.


Read more: http://www.thefader.com/2011/12/06/interview-don-trip-2/#ixzz1fnQx8COi

Don Trip On Shade 45 With Sway and Devi Dev [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE]

East Memphis stand up!!!

This is Mr. Don Trip. Now, if you have been living under a rock for the last year...this Cool & Dre signee has a song titled "Letter To My Son" that has been lighting up the internets for a cool minute.

Now, the video above is Trip kickin it with Sway & Devi Dev on Shade 45...taking calls (especially the emotional call from a single father like himself) & a freestyle that has Trip in the same room as Russell Simmons.

If not anything, this is a great look for another lyricist coming from the Bluff City. Salute to Don Trip & check out the video above.

-MiZ

Mannie Fresh Lecture At Red Bull Music Academy, Madrid 2011 [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE]

Fresh, fresh a erry fresh!!!! Yessur!!!!


This is a HOT interview mane!!! I still say Mannie Fresh is one of the greatest producers in Hip-Hop ever mane...but that's me.

He's speaking on his beginnings...Cash Money...New Orleans...all that! But it's about 2 hours long but its worth it tho.

So, check it out!!!

-L'Daialogue

Lecture: Mannie Fresh (Madrid 2011) from Red Bull Music Academy on Vimeo.

Fresh, fresh a erry fresh!!!! Yessur!!!!

2Deep-The New Concept ::: Hosted by Worldwide DJ Kenny Kaign [NEW MIXTAPE DOWNLOAD] [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE]

Yo, yo...


Yessur. Finally...I got the final mixes in and it seems fitting since it is Cane's birthday that we drop this tape on his birthday.

The New Concept, hosted by frequent collaborator & personal Ovaground fam Worldwide DJ Kanny Kaign, this tape is fiyah mane.

Cane & Dai is taking it back to their roots on this one in preparation for the sequel of their LP entitled Brothaz Of Tha' Struggle 2: Still Strugglin'. Many of these songs were off of the mixtape Str8 Drop that they released a while back. So, yeah...this is a problem.

Check it out and cop it NOW! The link is below!!!!!

-MiZ

J-Snizzy-Snizzy's Simple Soul Beats Vol. 2 [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [NEW MUSIC]

Yo,

What's the biz peeps? I just got blessed by the homey, North Carolina producer J-Snizzy with a new project of his that I think I should share. Now, I could hate and cuff all the beats...but I'ma share lol.

Peep it out at the bottom. It's pure boom-bap heat mane!


-L'Daialogue

__________________________________________

Per J-Snizzy's Blog:

"What's good family...just passing round a collection of beats. If your receiving this email, you've motivated me to put this together. I haven't even put this on blogs or anything yet, so thank you all family."

::Snizzy's Simple Soul Beats Volume 2::

LINK: http://www.mediafire.com/?r2oznc3hbt30uf2

Kendrick Lamar-Rigamortis [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [NEW VIDEO]

Produced by Willie B off of the Section.80 LP.

Dooooopppeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#WillieBFace

-L'Daialogue

Red Bull Mississippi Grind Features Prospek-Produced L'Daialogue Track [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [NEW VIDEO]

Red Bull floated a skatepark down the river starting at the twin cities hosting contests in a few cities as they went along. The finals for Mississippi Grind took place in New Orleans along with the local qualifiers and best trick contest. Christian Dufrene won first in the local qualifiers and Kyle Cox won second. Christian Willis won best trick with a smith grind kickflip out. Scott Laird came in first in the finals. Additional filming by Todd Taylor.

The music in the background (starting at 0:00) is "Comment Sections" by L'Daialogue DiCaprio, produced by Prospek.

-MiZUnderstatistic

Blak King-The Pot (Produced by Olde Soul) [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE]

Here's a new vid from the homey Blak King titled "The Pot", produced by Olde Soul.

The video is AGAIN directed by ElFamosoDemon.

This is not fair...its just too good!!!!

Enjoy!!!!

-L'Daialogue

Olde Soul - Along The Way [Official Video] [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [NEW VIDEO]

From Youtube:

The homey's Olde Soul's instrumental contribution to the Olde Soul/ Double K (PUTS) split 7inch single Taking Me Places | Face to Face. Originally released in 2008.

The video is by samplist/editor ElFamosoDemon.

Also, be on the lookout for for the L'Dai/Olde Soul EP entitled "Passage Of Conversation".

-L'Daialogue

BANDCAMP LINK: http://oldesoul.bandcamp.com/

Slangston Hughes and L'Daialogue DiCaprio Presents Dollar$ and Daialogue 1.5 EP [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [NEW MUSIC DOWNLOAD] [EXCLUSIVE]

2011 NOLA Hip Hop Awards-nominated duo (for "Hottest EP of the Year"), New Orleans native Slangston Hughes & Memphis native L'Daialogue DiCaprio presents their latest EP entitled Dollar$ & Daialogue 1.5 EP.

The project features Top Billion, Mr. J'ai, J-Dubble, Lyriqs The Lyriciss, Blaze The Verbal Chemist, Wes B, DJ Mike Swift, O.T, Tygah Woods & the songstress Robin Barnes.

Also, this time around the EP doesnt only boast sole production from L'Daialogue DiCaprio & MiZUnderstatistic. Brad M Beats, J-Snizzy, Blaze The Verbal Chemist and Fo On The Flo also contributed on this breakthrough project.

Download links are below along with the link to the ORIGINAL Dollar$ & Daialogue project.

Enjoy.

____________________________________________________

Slangston Hughes & L’Daialogue DiCaprio Presents: Dollars & Daialogue 1.5

TRACKLISTING:

1. Bruised Fruit * produced by Blaze the Verbal Chemist
2. I’m So Raw feat. Top Billion
3. Do It Tonite (SlumVillaDillaDawgRemix)
4. Mike Swift Interlude
5. Overworked & Underpaid feat. Robin Barnes * produced by J-Snizzy
6. Paygrade * produced by Blaze the Verbal Chemist ˚
7. Plankin On A 20
8. Sallie Mae
9. Slangston’s Plankin Interlude
10. Tardy * produced by Brad M.˚
11. Suck It Up Rmx feat. Tygah Woods (J-Dubble, Blaze The Verbal Chemist,
Mr. J’ai, Lyriqs da Lyriciss, D. Francis, O.T & Wes Beez)
12. Debt Ceiling ˚

- Production by L’Daialogue DiCaprio & MiZUnderstatistic except
˚Additional live drums & Nord keyboarding by Nick "Soul Nick" Solnick and Andrew McGowan of Fo On The Flo


D&D DOWNLOAD LINK(S):


DOLLAR$ & DAIALOGUE 1.5 EP LINK: http://www.mediafire.com/?u4tm1pnm8xdj21m

DOLLAR$ & DAIALOGUE 1.5 EP ALT. LINK: http://www.mediafire.com/?32tzdbbi4gdqi38

ORIGINAL DOLLAR$ & DAIALOGUE EP LINK: http://www.mediafire.com/?uub8q4h065mz22r

Truth Universal feat. Lyrikill + Evelyn Champagne--ThisMoment/The More Things Change [OFFICIAL VIDEO] [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE]

This is Truth Universal's latest video --"This Moment"/"The More Things Change" featuring Lyrikill + Evelyn Champagne. The project was shot and edited by Teddy Smith for Celtic Studios/Film in Motion in Baton Rouge, LA. These songs are taken from Truth's "Guerrilla Business" EP & also be sure to lookout for Truth's appearance @ this years A3C Festival in Atlanta, GA.

Check it out mane.

-L'Daialogue

The Origin Of "Rigamortus" by Kendrick Lamar: The Sample and Session Files by Willie B [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE]

So,

By being on the Westside for a lil' bit doing this music thing, you happen to run into many great talents in the process and Lynwood, California native Willie B is one of those great talents I have run into in my musical travels.

Not only one of the most humble guys I know in the music thang, he is a beast on the beats. He is one of the in-house producers for Tog Dawg Entertainment which is the home of Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q & Jay Rock. Also, I have heard his name on a many famous rapper this year per his work on Kendrick's "Section.80" EP & Jay Rock's "Follow Me Home" LP. Even Pharrell was saying that he was listening to a Willie B produced track (he was listening to Rigamortis" in Japan vibing off of it). That's BIG.

The videos below are 2 of the tracks that Willie B produced off of the Section.80 project. Check them out & support the homey. Let's GO!!!!!

-L'Daialogue


Here's the original song, Kendrick Lamar's "Rigamortis":




Here's Willie B showing the Session Files for "Rigamortis":

The Economy of Mixtapes: How Drake, Wiz Khalifa, Big K.R.I.T. Figured It Out [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE]

Off of Billboard.com

By Steven J. Horowitz


On Feb. 13, 2009, the mixtape paradigm shifted.

Aligned with Lil Wayne, the then-unsigned Drake, who'd spent the few years before releasing buzzy mixtapes (rapping over hits), unleashed his almost entirely original mixtape "So Far Gone." He did so on his website, October's Very Own, which quickly went into bandwidth overdrive. Reportedly, to date, there have been millions of downloads.

Drake -- whose platinum debut, "Thank Me Later" (Young Money/Cash Money/Universal Republic), bowed atop the Billboard 200 the following year (July 3, 2010) -- had redefined the mixtape model for the digital era. (He released three free songs through October's Very Own as recently as last week, with second album "Take Care" due Oct. 24.) Far from its adolescent iteration, the mixtape-a compilation of music generally distributed outside of label purview-had evolved from a mere display of DJ skills to a promotional tool packed with exclusive freestyles to an actual album-before-the-album, one that could spawn chart-topping singles like "Best I Ever Had," without labels at the helm.

In hip-hop today, free, original mixtapes have become standard. They're offered on websites like DatPiff.com and LiveMixtapes.com, which have erased CD-peddling bootleggers from city street corners. DJs -- like Doo Wop and DJ Clue -- who once shouted over tracks on popular tapes like '95 Live and Springtime Stickup, have been almost entirely weeded from the equation. And where MCs once hijacked beats from others to serve as the sonic quilt for their release, mixtapes have become a creative survival of the fittest. Rappers who dropped freestyle mixtapes can no longer show-and-prove through lyrics alone-original beat selection, artwork and overall artistry determine worthiness.

The original mixtape approach has also crossed genre lines. Artists in the R&B realm have likewise adopted the format, most recently The Weeknd and The-Dream with "Thursday" and "1977," presented as a "free album." Pop singers have even dabbled in mixtape releases. JoJo, whose label disputes have been made public over the past few years, dropped her debut mixtape "Can't Take That Away From Me" in September 2010, while dance diva La Roux teamed with Major Lazer for May 2010's "Lazerproof," a collection of artist-approved original remixes.

























"The game favors people that can produce quality music and then turn right around and produce more quality music-which is not a given," Atlantic Records VP of A&R Zvi Edelman says. His signee, Wiz Khalifa, leveraged free, original mixtapes like 2010's "Kush & OJ" and 2011's "Cabin Fever" into the building of a dedicated fan base that helped, along with an intensive touring strategy, make his Atlantic/Rostrum Records debut, "Rolling Papers," one of the few hip-hop debuts to sell more than 500,000 copies (it's now at 570,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan) in 2011.

A batch of newcomers -- such as J. Cole, Big Sean, Dom Kennedy, Mac Miller and Smoke DZA -- has adapted to the consumer demand for free, original rap music. The philosophy is often described this way: As a reward for artists remaining loyal to them (by giving away original music), fans return the favor by buying concert tickets, merchandise and "real" albums from record labels. The result is a give-and-take relationship that keeps rappers in control of their brand and marketing, and iTunes playlists full of free albums disguised as "mixtapes." The payoff is an active fan base, which labels and management hope stimulates retail purchases.

"Active consumers will support [you] and go out and buy your album, buy your concert tickets and your merch. The passive consumer will download it for free, talk about it and that's it," says Al Branch, GM of Hip-Hop Since 1978, which manages Drake, Nicki Minaj and others. "The active consumer is very reactionary, and you can get that consumer to respond quite quickly."

What exactly distinguishes an album from a mixtape? "These days, mixtapes are really albums," Rostrum Records founder/president Benjy Grinberg says. "The difference, is that you don't make any direct money off of it. But the benefits of building the reputation of the artists are pretty amazing."


















From many artists' standpoint, the freedom of creating an original mixtape is limitless. Big K.R.I.T., who was scheduled to release studio debut "Live From the Underground" (Def Jam) on Sept. 27 (it's now due early 2012), built his career with free mixtapes including "K.R.I.T. Wuz Here" (2010), "Return of 4eva" and "Last King 2 (God's Machine)," the latter two released this year. All of the self-produced tapes employ samples and audioclips from films-two major hoops to jump through, as far as clearances, with a retail release.

"When you're talking about an album, some samples you can't clear. And it causes you to get more creative," the Meridian, Miss.-born K.R.I.T. (real name: Justin Scott) says, noting also the pleasures of working within the system "Drawing deep in myself and coming up with content and subject matter-and as far as writing lyrics, really taking out more time to piece together a story, making hooks more melodic. It's a growing experience."

Some established acts lean on mixtapes as marketing tools for pending retail albums. Lil Wayne is an example. He dropped freebie "Sorry 4 the Wait" through WeezyThanxYou.com six weeks before "Tha Carter IV" as an apology for the latter's delay. Wale, whose second set "Ambition" (Maybach Music Group/Warner Music Group) is scheduled for release Nov. 1, offered his most recent mixtape, "11-1-11," through Hulkshare.com, a file-sharing site that immediately buckled under the weight of posting the link to his million-plus Twitter followers. The tactic of crashing servers by releasing tapes on low-capacity sites-a growing trend among artists like J. Cole and the Weeknd-appears to only ramp up demand.

"It's like a never-ending commercial," Wale says. He estimates that 1.2 million people downloaded 11-1-11 in the first three days-a feat flaunted in label press releases, and retweeted all over. But he's realistic about the residual effects. "I'm definitely not going to get 1.2 million album sales in the first week. That's just the reality of it," he says. "I just hope that the majority of the people who love the mixtape go out and support 'Ambition.'"

Even on smaller scales, the model can shine. New Orleans' Curren$y released his third studio album, "Pilot Talk" (Roc-a-Fella/DD172/Def Jam) in 2010, avoiding the sample clearance issues of his mixtapes by employing live instrumentation and production from Ski Beatz. The now Warner Bros. Records signee utilized online mediums like Ustream and Twitter to build a relationship with fans and deliver free mixtapes such as 2008's "Fast Times at Ridgemont Fly" and 2009's "How High with Wiz Khalifa," helping the non-mixtape "Pilot Talk" sell 52,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

McKenzie Eddy, a singer/songwriter and president of BluRoc Records who handled A&R for Curren$y's album and its sequel ("Pilot Talk II"), says, "Free records and selling records-it's all about having something to drive the building of your brand. Giving away albums is equally as important as selling them."

Some major labels have begun to embrace the format by repackaging the giveaways as retail EPs. Universal and Young Money/Cash Money pared down "So Far Gone" to a seven-track EP with two new cuts. It was released in September 2009 and has sold 608,000 units, according to SoundScan. Last year, Def Jam monetized its first mixtape with Fabolous' "There Is No Competition 2: The Grieving Music EP," an adaptation of its free companion.

Def Jam senior VP of A&R Sha Money XL, says that major labels' adjusted attitude toward mixtapes isn't only rooted in compensatory motives, but also in the emphasizing of talent-to build careers with longevity. "We're doing this because rappers want their artistic abilities to be displayed," he says. As president of G-Unit Records, Sha helped 50 Cent craft his career through steal-your-hit-style mixtapes in the early '00s. And Sha signed Big K.R.I.T. to Def Jam. "You can rap over someone else's beats, but it's not as impactful as giving them a song you created."

The mixtape revolution began as a presentation of turntable skills by such DJs as Lovebug Starski, DJ Hollywood, Brucie B and Kid Capri. By the mid-'90s, it became the battle of the strongest Rolodex, with turntablists like DJ Clue and Funkmaster Flex netting exclusives for their own street and retail releases.

But around the turn of the millennium, artists had begun to assimilate the mixtape model. Instead of offering new tracks and freestyles for DJ-administered mixtapes, prolific groups like G-Unit and Dipset strategized on how they could use the model as a full-length promotional vehicle for studio albums. DJs were elbowed into secondary roles, and became known more for facilitating underground distribution to bootleggers and corner stores.

Flex, a DJ at WQHT (Hot 97) New York and host of MTV's Funk Flex Full Throttle who released four gold-certified retail mixtapes between 1995 and 2000, put his career as a mixtape DJ on ice when he noticed the shift. "The artist started to want better control," says Flex, who has refocused his non-Hot 97 energies on his InFlexWeTrust.com. "Some DJs were only as big as the exclusives they got."

Mixtape culture reached critical mass in January 2007 when DJ Drama, one of the few DJs to persevere with his Gangsta Grillz brand, was arrested along with DJ Don Cannon and 17 others in a police raid on their Aphilliates Music Group headquarters in Atlanta-a part of the RIAA's quest to put an end to mixtape profiteering. "A lot of us, including myself, had to find other avenues," DJ Drama says. "After that raid, it got a little scary and nerve-racking." He has since abandoned mixtapes as a revenue stream, instead releasing them for free in a tastemaker role.

Indeed, for artists who have constructed careers on a mixtape foundation, signing with a major may not always be the end-goal. Acts like Odd Future and Tech N9ne have sidestepped major labels, releasing albums on their own imprints and distributing through companies like RED or Fontana. "You don't have to put out a commercial album to build your fan base," Grinberg says. "You could have an artist who's on a major and an artist who doesn't have a label or a manager-they can both get a mixtape out there and compete. It really levels the playing field."

L'Daialogue-Comment Sections (Diss Me) [Produced by Prospek] [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE] [MUSIC MONDAY] [NEW MUSIC]

This song was done in lieu of both me & Slangston's nomination for the NolaHipHopAwards AND the homey Prospek....

Now, me & Prospek has plenty of bangers in the bag and we decided why not let this joint out today for no particular reason. So, here it is.

And yeah, it dedicated to everybody & nobody....comment if you like haha.

Vote for BOTH of us at the NolaHipHopAwards HERE

-L'Daialogue

Dollar$ and Daialogue 1.5 Tracklisting/ Cover [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE]

Stay tuned as the follow-up to Dollar$ & Daialogue, (nominated for Hottest EP of the Year) prepares to drop this mon-(*ahem*) THIS WEEK!


Slangston Hughes & L’Daialogue DiCaprio Presents: Dollars & Daialogue 1.5

TRACKLISTING:

1. Bruised Fruit * produced by Blaze the Verbal Chemist
2. I’m So Raw feat. Top Billion
3. Do It Tonite (SlumVillaDillaDawgRemix)
4. Mike Swift Interlude
5. Overworked & Underpaid feat. Robin Barnes * produced by J-Snizzy
6. Paygrade * produced by Blaze the Verbal Chemist ˚
7. Plankin On A 20
8. Sallie Mae
9. Slangston’s Plankin Interlude
10. Tardy * produced by Brad M.˚
11. Suck It Up Rmx feat. Tygah Woods (J-Dubble, Blaze The Verbal Chemist,
Mr. J’ai, Lyriqs da Lyriciss, D. Francis, O.T & Wes Beez)
12. Debt Ceiling ˚

- Production by L’Daialogue DiCaprio & MiZUnderstatistic except
˚Additional live drums & Nord keyboarding by Nick "Soul Nick" Solnick and Andrew McGowan of Fo On The Flo

Dollars and Daialogue Gets Nominated + A New Dollars and Daialogue Project COMING SOON [OVAGROUND EXCLUSIVE]

Well, well, well...


So, I was actually, along with MiZUnderstatistic tracking out the last tracks on me & Slangston Hughes NEW PROJECT, Dollars & Daialogue 1.5...and I find out we're nominated for a NolaHipHopAward for Hottest EP of The Year!



















And also...you can vote for us HERE


Support ya boys mane.


ALSO, the new project....Dollars & Daialogue 1.5 is COMING SOON!!!!

Here is the cover. The tracklisting & features will be released soon.























-L'Daialogue